Car parking facilities in Laois was a topic of much discussion at April’s meeting of the Borris-in-Ossory-Mountmellick Municipal District this week.
Independent Cllr Ollie Clooney first highlighted the issue, calling for extra parking spaces to be provided at St Fintan’s Terrace, Durrow.
Cllr Clooney suggested “the unused grass margin at the Barn Hill side” of the area to be used for additional spaces.
Mr James Dowling, Senior Executive Engineer for Roads said: Municipal District staff will meet with Cllr Clooney “to establish the extent of line marking required for parking spaces and also discuss the construction of new parking in the grass margin.”
Cllr Clooney was unhappy with the response, saying “it’s the same old story from this Council.”
The Independent Cllr said the scarcity of parking spaces is due to families and households owning more cars.
Fellow Independent Cllr James Kelly strongly supported the motion, saying the County Council need to look at the option of using green spaces to alleviate parking requirements.
Cllr John King added that parking space sizes need to be addressed as current spaces are still assigned using specification from 1980.
Cllr Ollie Clooney went on to call on Laois County Council to provide a pedestrian crossing at Shanahoe National School, and to implement safety measures at Castlewood Cross in Rath.
In response, Mr Dowling said Council staff will visit Shanahoe NS “to identify the need” for a pedestrian crossing.
Regarding safety measures at Castlewood Cross, Mr Dowling said:
“TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland) have previously carried out a Road Safety Inspection on this location, measures advised in the report are being implemented following the completion of the current pavement improvement scheme.”
